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Dig for possible WWII-era munitions will mean some Florida homes must be evacuated

Posted: 8:32 PM, Sep 18, 2018

Updated:2018-09-19 13:47:48Z

By:
Meghan McRoberts

VERO BEACH, Florida — A few dozen Vero Beach homes will be evacuated Thursday as the Army Corps of Engineers digs in the area for possible munitions that might have been left behind during WWII-era training exercises.

Residents like Danny Mackenzie say it's an unusual situation to be in.

“That’s sort of scary, especially when we did a lot of excavating to put in lighting and different things. If there was something there it would have been pretty horrible if somebody would have blown themselves up.”

Residents along Lantana and Turtle Cove Lanes will be leaving their homes by 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The Treasure Coast during the WWII-era was home to the Fort Pierce Naval Amphibious training base, which stretched from Vero Beach to Jensen Beach.

Rockets, bombs and small arms were tested in the area, according to our news partners at TCPalm
.

“We’ve heard of munitions being found on the beach, or divers finding munitions. Being this close to the old fort that was here during the war, we, you know, expect to find some of that stuff,” Mackenzie said.

The Army Corps of Engineers has mapped out a number of sites they will be carefully digging up over the next couple of months, according to TCPalm
.

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